Great Firework Displays Around The World

Image source: Flickr - Robbie Biller

Ah, fireworks, who doesn't love them? They are a joyful way to celebrate special moments like New Year's Eve, 4th of July, and even smaller regional festivals. But, fireworks are not just about the celebration, in recent years, they have become an art themselves, getting better and better, and bigger and bolder as technology improves.

These are some of the most beautiful and greatest firework displays from around the world. If you happen to be in any of these destinations to witness the show in person, I can assure you you'll be in for a show you'll never forget.

Sydney, Australia

As one of the first cities around the world to enter the New Year, Sydney holds a huge fireworks display every year, set on the beautiful Sydney Harbour. There you'll see fireworks go off the world famous Sydney Opera House and the Harbour Bridge. Talk about a beautiful show in a beautiful, world-renowned setting!

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Dubai is the current record holder of the world's largest firework display with its 2014 New Year's show. Over 500,000 fireworks were used in a six-minute display (thats a whopping 1,389 fireworks per second!). Among the icons used to shoot from and display the fireworks are the Palm Jumeirah, the World Islands, Burj Al Arab, and Burj Kalifah currently the tallest building in the world. 

New York City, USA

New York City has great New Year's fireworks, but I think they do even better 4th of July firework displays with the now famous Macy's Firework Show. If you're an American patriot, then this show will be the it thing for you, since the fireworks blast to the tunes of God Bless America and the Star Spangled Banner, among other classic tunes. But, even if you're not that patriotic, who can resist seeing thousands of fireworks blasting over the East River and shooting out of the Brooklyn Bridge?

Florida, USA

Walt Disney World takes the crown when it comes to firework shows in Florida, and maybe even the US. They are all about creating a fantasy world, and with firework shows like Fantasy in the Sky, they welcome the New Year with many of the famous Disney classic songs, characters, the famous Cinderella Castle, and of course, fireworks that even create the outline of Mickeys face. This is not just for kids; even adults will love this fantasy world.

Katakai, Japan

Believe it or not, Japan has one of the oldest firework festivals in the world, it has been going on for over 400 years! The Katakai Festival in Japan is celebrated in September and lasts only one day, but in that one day youll see a whopping 3-hour long show full of explosions. This festival is also the proud owner of the world record for the largest single firework, a massive 992-pound shell that is shot a kilometer high in the sky before exploding into an 800 meter in diameter bloom.

Montreal, Canada

The Montreal International Fireworks Competition is the largest of its kind in the world. It holds a month long competition where companies from around the world can bring their best 30-minute display and compete for the best firework show. When people compete, you can expect a few great displays!

London, UK

London is not shy when it comes to display a great fireworks show. There's the Big Ben, the London Eye Ferris wheel, and other landmarks that shoot fireworks from them. But, for New Years 2014, they pushed the envelop by creating the first multi-sensory firework show, where certain types of colored fireworks were matched with smells and clouds of flavored confetti, including banana, apple, cherry, orange, and strawberry, among other tastes. Crazy, isnt it?

Paris, France

The Eiffel Tower itself is an amazing sight, but seeing it lit up with thousands of fireworks makes the sight simply mind blowing. This might not be the biggest or most complex show in the world, but just seeing that outline of the Eiffel Tower light up with colors and fiery shapes makes you want to see more of it and welcome the New Year in high spirit.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Closing the list I have Rio, which is maybe not the most complex or biggest show in the world, but what makes Rio special is the people and the landscape. You can't have a more beautiful landscape than the iconic Sugar Loaf Mountain, Corcovado Mountain and the beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana from where the fireworks are displayed. The tumult of people is incredibly happy, waiting for the New Year in one of the biggest parties the city has.

Which show is now of your list for your next trip?

Note: Available plans and coverages may have changed since this blog was published.